Parliamentary tensions rise as NPP absentees delay proceedings

Accra, Ghana - Nov 7, 2024 - A striking scene unfolded at the Accra International Conference Centre on Thursday morning as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament took their seats on the majority side of the chamber by 8:30 a.m., while their counterparts from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were noticeably absent.

Joseph Bukari, MP for Saboba, voiced his frustration, calling the NPP's absence "disappointing" and a clear disregard for parliamentary duties, especially at such a critical time.

“The governing side are not serious and we are here to do business and they triggered the provisions for the Speaker to recall us and so we thought they would have been here for us to do business but they are not here.

“We are not supposed to be in the Chamber by 10 am, we are supposed to be in the Chamber before 10 am and the Speaker comes in at 10 am and so if none of them are here, then it leads us to conclude that they are not serious about government business and they are wasting our time and the Ghanaian peoples time and they are making unnecessary requests and keeping us in Parliament when we have work to do in our constituencies.”

The NDC's presence was a show of dedication to resolving national issues, while the NPP's delay added to existing tensions within the House. Speaker Alban Bagbin recalled the session to address pending issues, including budgetary allocations and legislative reforms, delayed due to recent parliamentary tensions.

This standoff underscores the ongoing power struggle between the two parties. Notably, 18 NPP MPs have voluntarily exited Parliament, raising questions about the party's direction and succession planning. Key departures include Daniel Kwaku Botwe, MP for Okere and Minister of Local Government, Rural Development, and Decentralisation.

Source: Lead News Online